Train signal



Feb. 19, 1929.

w. BOURG TRAIN SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1925 ["1 L 9' INVENTOR wnuassa I Wan. er E mu 1" g ATTORNEYS Feb. 19, 1929.

' W. BOURG TRAIN SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1925 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED. STATES WALTER Boone, 01 NAPOLEONVILLE, LOUISIANA.

TRAHT SIGNAL.

Application filed July 24, 1925. Serial No. 45,887.

My invention relates to improvements in train signals, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

I An object of the invention is the provision of a signal apparatus which affords facilities for causing a signal to be actuated in the engine cab of a train when the engine passes a signal which is positioned adjacent to the track that the engine traverses and is in signalling position, whereby the engineer will be apprised of the presence of an obstruction on the track in advance of the engine.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a signal apparatus of the character described which will be inefi'ective to operate the signal in the engine cab when the signal adjacent to the track is in non-signalling position.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a signal apparatus of the character described Which is simple inconstruction, reliable in use, and thoroughly practical commercially.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following de-" scription, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan View, showing a portion of the railway track and the members of the apparatus which are supported on the track, a support for a semaphore and a rod for operating the semaphore being shown in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure l and slightly enlarged, showing the tracksupported mechanism of the apparatus in position to hold a semaphore in signalling position and to actuate the cab-supported mechanism of the apparatus,

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, showing the track supported mechanism in position to hold the semaphore in lowered or non-signalling position and to be ineffective to actuate the cab-supported mechanism of the apparatus,

showing a portion of the track-supported mechanism of the device broken away to dis close parts which would otherwise be hidden, Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section through the track and through the track-supported mechanism of the apparatus, showing the semaphore and the semaphore operating 66' means in elevation, the section being taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 2, an

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view through the track and 00 through a portion of the floor of an engine cab, showing in elevation the track-supported mechanism and the cab-supported mechanism of the device, the showing of an electric signal circuit which is comprised in the cab-supported mechanism being more or less diagrammatic.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a railway track which comprises ties 2 and a pair of spaced rails 3. A vertically swingable semaphore or signal arm 4 is pivotally supported at 5 on the upper end portion of a post 6 which is positioned at one side of the railway track. A rod 7 for swinging the semaphore from raised signalling position as shown in Fig. 5 to lowered non-signalling position, or viceversa, is pivotally attached at its upper end to the semaphore and at its lower end to a crank 8 on a shaft 9.

The shaft 9 is journaled in bearings 10 which are formed on a supporting plate 11 which is secured in place in any suitable known manner on two adjacent ties 2 between the rails 3. The middle portion of the plate 11 has an aperture 12 of relatively great area formed therein. One end portion of the plate 11 has the side edge portions thereof bent upwardly, then inwardly, as indicated at 13, thus producing a pair of guard grooves or channels, as at 14, for the reception of theside edge portions of a slide plate 15 which thus is slidably supported on said one end portion of the plate 11. The movement of the slide plate 15 on said one end portion of the plate 11 toward the transverse median Figure 4; is a View similar to Figure 1, line of the plate 11 is limited by an upturned contact 21.

stop projection 16 which is provided at one end of the aperture 12.

The second end portion of the plate 11 has the side edge portions thereof bent inwardly and then inwardly as indicated at 17, thus producing a pair of lateral guide channels 18 for the reception of the side edge portions of a second slide plate 19. The movement of the slide plate 19 on the second end portion of the plate 11 toward the transverse median line of the plate 11 is limited by an upturned stop projection 20 at the second end of the aperture 12. Referring now particularly to Figure 6, the invention contemplates the provision of an electric switch that is adapted to be supported in the cab of an engine that is movable on the rails 3 of the rack. This electric switch includes a stationary contact 21 and a movable contact 22 which may be a part of a switch arm that is pivotally supported at one end, as at 23 and is swingable vertically to and from position to cause the contact portion 22 thereof to engage with the stationary The means that the invention provides for actuating the switch arm to close the switch includes a vertically movable pull rod 24 which extends through a. slot 25 in the floor 26 of the engine cab and has the upper end portion thereof bent laterally and clownwardly as indicated at 27 to hook over the in sulated free end 28 of the switch arm. The pull rod 24 is pivotally attached at its lower end, as at 29 to one end of a lever 30 which-is fulcrumed intermediate its length on a pivot element 31 which is carried by the engine cab and extends transversely of the latter beneath the floor 26. The other end portion of the lever 30 carries a weight 32 and is bent to extend in a generally downward direction. The extreme lower end portion of the second arm of the lever 30 is bent substantially into U- shape as indicated at 33 so that the lowest point on the convexly curved lower surface thereof will lie in a plane which is located only a slight distance above the plane of the upper faces of the rails 3 of the track on which the engine is movable.

The means for actuating the lever 30 to cause downward movement of the pull rod 24 and thereby to close the hereinbefore mentioned electric switch includes a member which comprises two cooperative plate sections 34 and 35 respectively. These plate sections 34 and 35 are arcuately curved longitudinally thereof. The plate section 34 is pivotally attached at one end to an upturned portion 36 of the slide plate 15 at the outer end of the latter, as at 37. The plate section 35 is pivotally attached at one end to an upturned lug portion 38 of the slide plate 19 at the outer end of the latter, as at 39. The other end portions of the plate sections 34 and 35 are pivotally attached to each other,

as at 40. The arrangement is such that the convexly curved surfaces of the plate sections 34 and 35 will be turned upward and the respective plate sections 34 and 35 have limited swinging movement about axes parallel to each other and to the axis of swinging movement of the lever 30 and the axis of rotation or rocking movement of the shaft 9, all of said axes extending at right angles to the direction of length of the track 1. WVhen the sections 34 and 35 of the member for actuating the lever 30 are in raised'positions as best seen in Figures 2 and 6, the connected together inner end portions of said plate sections will extend above the lever of the curved lower end portion 33 of the lever 30 and in the path of movement of the lower end portion of the lever 30 as the engine on which the lever 30 is supported moves on the track 1 above the supporting plate 11 and past the semaphore 4. At this time, the slide plates 15 and 19 will be at or near the limits of their respective movements inward on the supporting plate 11 toward the transverse median line of the supporting plate 11. The hereinbefore mentioned bearings 10 for the shaft 9 are provided at the underside of the plate 11. A link 41 extends through the aperture 12 in the plate 11 and is pivotally attached atits upper end, as at 42, to the inner end of the slide plate 15. The link 41 is pivotally attached at its lower end to a crank 43 on the shaft 9. The cranks 43 and 3 lie in planes which extend in such angular relation in respect to each other that the slide plate 15 will be disposed at or near the limit of its move-- ment inward on the plate 11 at the time the sema hore 4 is in raised or si nalling ")osition, as shown in Figure 5.

The section 34 of the member 3435 for actuating the lever 30 also is in raised position at this time as is the section 35 of said actuating member, the section 35 being raised with the section 34 because of its connection wit-h the latter and because of the action of a tension spring 44 which connects the slide plate 19 with the stop lug 20 on the support ing plate 11 and tends to hold the slide plate 19 near the limit of its inward movement on the supporting plate 11.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. It is common practice to notify the engineer of a train which is traversing a track that the track is not clear by means of a swingable signal arm or semaphore which is located adjacent to the track and is raised when there is an obstruction on the track in the path of an approaching train. The obstruction of course may be a second train moving on the track. Because of fog or other unfavorable atmos pheric or light conditions, the semaphore may be practically invisible to the engineer of the train passing on the track past said semaphore and the engineer therefore may not be notified of the obstruction on the track.

When myimproved signal apparatus is employed, the engineer receives notice that the semaphore is in raised or signallmg position at the time the train passesthe' semaphore,

irrespectiverof the atmospheric orlight conditions and irrespective whether or not the semaphore is visible to the engineer. This is assured by reason of the fact that the raising of the semaphore 4 to signalling position causes motion to be transmitted by the rod 7 the crank 8, the shaft 9, the crank 43, the link 41 and the slide plate 15 to the section 34 and therefore also to the'section of the lever actuating member 34 35, whereby the member 3435 will be raised to the active position both because of the motion transmitted thereto when the semaphore is raised and because of the action of the spring 44. Then, when the engine passes the semaphore on the track 1, thependent arm of the lever 30 contacts with the convexly curved surface of one of the sections 3435 of the lever actuating member and the lower arm of the lever 30 will be swung upward against the action of the weight 32, thereby pulling the pull rod 24 downward and actuating the switch arm to close the electric switch which is positioned in the cab of the engine. The closing of the electric switch closes an electric circuit which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 6 and is indicated generally at 45, this electric circuit including a source of electric current supply, such as the battery 46 and an electric signal 47, which may be an electric incandescent lamp. The engineer therefore will receive notice that the semaphore is in position to signal to him that there is an obstruction on the track.

Should the semaphore be in lowered or nonsignalling position, the sections 3435 of the lever actuating member will be held in lowered position against the action of the spring and the lower end portion of the lever 30 then will move above such lower section sections 3435 Without'contacting therewith when the engine passes the semaphore on the track 1.

Obviously, my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and I therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations thereof as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. a

I claim 1. In a signal apparatus, an electric switch adapted to be positioned on a. train, said switch comprising a stationary contact, and a vertically swingable switch arm having a contact portion movable to and from position to contact with said stationary contact, a vertically movable pull rod supported on the train and operable to swing said switch arm downward to cause closing of said switch, said switch arm normally being raised, a

lever fulcrumed on the train and having a Weighted arm depending underneath the train close to a track on which said train may move, said lever being connected to said pull rod and being adapted when said pendent arm thereof is swung upward to move said pull rod downward and thereby to close said switch, the lower end portion of said pendent arm of the lever being bent substantially into U-shape so as to produce a convexly curved contact surface at the lower end of said pendent lever arm. and depressible means upon the track adapted to engage the contact surface at the lower end of the pen-dent lever arm and swing said arm upwardly.

2. In a signal apparatus, a supporting plate positioned on a railway track, an actuating member supported on said plate and adjustable on said plate to and from position to extend in the path of movement of a pendent lever on a train that traverses said track, said actuating member comprising two plate sections suitably attached to each other at their inner ends, each of said plate sections being convexo-concave, slide plates having limited sliding movement on said supporting plate and respectively pivoted to the outer end portions of said plate sections of the actuating member, and semaphore controlled means connected with one of said slide plates for holding said actuating member in raised active position when the semaphore is in signalling position. 1

3, In a signal apparatus, a supporting plate positioned 011 a railway track, an actuating member supported on said plate and adjustable on said plate to'and from position to extend in the path of movement of a pendent lever on a train that traverses said track, said actuating member comprising two plate sections suitably attached to each-other at their inner ends, each of said plate sections being covexo-concave, slide plates having limited sliding movement on said supporting plate and respectively pivoted to the outer end portions of said plate sections of the actuating member, semaphore controlled means connected with one of said slide plates for holding said actuating member in raised active position when the semaphore is in signalling position, and spring means yieldingly resisting movement of said actuating member from raised active position to lowered inactive position.

4. In a signal apparatus, a supporting plate positioned on a railway track, an actuating member supported on said'plate and adjustable on said plate to and from position to extend in the path of movement of a pendent lever on a train that traverses said track, said actuating member comprising two plate sections suitably attached to each other at their inner ends, each of said plate sections ing plate and respectively pivoted to the outer end portions of said plate sections of the actuating member semaphore controlled means connected with one of said slide plates for holding said actuating member in raised active position when the semaphore is in signalling position, and for holding said actuating member in lowered inactive position when sald semaphore is in non-signalllng posltlon,

and spring means yieldingly resisting move- 10 WALTER BOURG. 

